Collections care and conservation

In this short film insect experts will tell you what tips and tricks English Heritage use in their historic properties to protect against clothes moths, and share with some simple things that can be done to avoid these pesky insect pests.

These standards and guidelines have been produced by the Society for Museum Archaeology (SMA), which is the Subject Specialist Network for British Archaeology in the UK. They seek to update the 1992 Standards in the Museum Care of Archaeological Collections, one of a series of guidance documents produced by the Museum and Galleries Commission in 1992. In addition there are individual fact sheets covering different types of object

This publication outlines guidance for best practice in working with independent conservators. These guidelines are designed to help museums and other organisations to appoint, brief and work with independent conservators.

With this e-learning tool you will learn to identify, monitor and control common pests found in museums.

The RE-ORG method is a step-by-step approach to help those who work with cultural collections to reorganise their current storage.

This is a combination of 12 fact sheets that are also available separately.

The manual of maritime curatorship provides a useful introduction for those who work in maritime museums, as well as those in related museum and heritage fields who are not maritime specialists, but who may have to deal with maritime material.

This website explains what Spectral Power Distribution is and how it can be used as a comparator to evaluate the efficiency and impact of different light sources. This is an excellent resource for any museum wishing to understand the environmental and conservation impact of different light sources or considering a move to LED lighting.

This presentation sets out the National Trust’s approach to energy efficiency in historic properties, including detailed examples and techniques taken from current management and conservation practice.

Temperature and relative humidity are essential elements of collections care. This guide assesses the affects of temperature and humidity on items, examines how they affect one another and provides tips for creating a stable and controlled museum environment.

Museum objects require a certain kind of environment, which includes an atmosphere free of dust and pollutants. This fact sheet from describes basic types of air pollution: acidic and oxidising subtances; particulate pollutants, and how to protect museum collections from damage caused by them.

The life expectancy of collections is significantly affected by the environmental conditions in which they are stored. This booklet provides guidance on environmental management to help you preserve your books and documents for as long as possible. It concentrates specifically on temperature and relative humidity.

Museums must record changes in the environment within their buildings in order to gauge the level of environmental stress to which objects are subjected. The aim of these guidelines is to help museums make the most of the environmental data they collect.

A preservation policy is an essential component of a collections management framework, regardless of the size of the collection or organisation. This booklet provides a framework for setting out an organisation’s approach to achieving the sustainable use of its collections through a preservation policy.

This handbook provides a basic ‘starter’s guide’ to key aspects of moving image archives management, preservation and access.

This guidance sets down standards for the museum care of geological collections and provides guidance on the interpretation of these standards.

This resource contains information and advice on how to look after ceramics. It highlights common problems, tells you what to avoid and provides practical, step-by-step instructions on how to clean and care for ceramic objects.

The management needs of military wall art are often very specific and will be influenced by various factors, including the nature of the site and the extent and condition of the decoration. These guidelines are intended to address these issues, covering the evaluation of significance, and the determination of conservation and management needs.

These guidance notes from the Museum Ethnographers Group aim to inform the conduct of workers in museums who have responsibility for ethnographic collections, to create an awareness of areas of concern particular (although not exclusive) to ethnographic material. These guidelines are not only for museum ethnographers but will also be helpful to those with general […]

This resource provides images of a range of plastics degrading for different reasons and in different ways.

This publication outlines a basis for custodianship and conservation of musical instruments in museum collections. It describes standards for the care of musical instruments, covering standards for procedures, collection care and maintenance, building management, access and education.

This guide is for anyone who works with costume and textile collections in museums. It will be especially useful for those who are not specialists in costume and textiles, but who find themselves responsible for, or are regularly involved with, their day-to-day care.

This resource offers guidance on caring for metals in your collections to protect them degradation and damage.

Stores are an essential part of most museums. As your items will be left in these stores for extended periods of time, you need to think carefully about how you design or improve your stores to best care for your collections. This resource outlines store requirements and safety and security considerations.

This fact sheet offers advice on how prevent damage to your collection by preventive conservation.

In this leaflet, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland outlines common standards for the preservation of records and discuss their preservation policy which covers the acquisition and selection of records, record storage, the public display of records in exhibitions, and conservation.

Archival records can be difficult to clean, either due to their delicate condition or the fragility of inks and pigments. This resource from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland outlines their code of practice for the mechanical cleaning of records.

This resource examines how to look after easel paintings and identifies potential threats to paintings in museum collections.

Paper appears in museums and galleries in many ways, perhaps in the form of an ancient manuscript or a delicate watercolour painting. This resource outlines guidance on caring for paper collections in museums.

This fact sheet explains what causes damage to textiles, how to recognise where damage has taken place, and how to prevent damage occurring. This fact sheet explains how – even when all the odds seem to be against you.

This advice sheet aims to give a basic introduction to the care and preservation of photographic collections held in museums. It discusses the need to provide the correct environmental conditions and protective storage enclosures and to ensure safe handling and display.

This booklet provides guidance on simple dry cleaning methods for removing surface dirt from bound volumes and unbound papers.

This booklet describes the most common historical photographic processes, outlines the causes of deterioration and provides guidelines on good preservation practice. It is aimed at people working or volunteering in libraries, archives and museums whose responsibilities include photographic collections.

This booklet offers guidance designed to help you make the most of the opportunities available to support the preservation and conservation of library and archive collections and to develop excellent applications for great projects.

Mould causes irreversible physical and chemical damage to collections and presents a significant health hazard. This booklet offers outlines environmental control and storage factors that should be considered in order to prevent mould outbreaks as well as how to deal with outbreaks should they occur in your collections.

Decisions on the care and repair of bindings can be complex and involve many considerations – use, function, rarity and structural issues. This guide outlines some of these and suggests sources for further research.

Preventive measures can considerably extend the useful life of collections, and are usually much more cost-effective than interventive measures taken to remedy damage after deterioration has taken place. This publication outlines external causes of deterioration of collections, including poor handling or storage, theft or vandalism, fire and flood, pests, pollution, light and incorrect temperature and relative humidity, and indicates the preventive measures that should be taken.

The use of plant and flower materials in museums is growing in popularity as they are increasingly opened for special events, entertaining, and to decorate permanent displays. This fact sheet outlines notes on managing risk and the prevention of damage to museum objects from pest infestation, pollen staining and from localised increase in humidity as well as scratches and chips from flower pots or containers placed on museum objects.

CAT was originally designed by the Scottish Museums Council as a tool to help museum staff and conservators to better assess collection condition and use the information generated more effectively. Its features allow non-conservators to undertake basic assessments of collection condition with a little basic training and the agreement of the meaning of terms.

This resource offers guidance for the preservation of digital records and allows you to download DROID – the National Archives free tool for identifying file formats.